Class Description

This class is designed for students to create landscape paintings representing views of New York’s inspiring Central Park. Classes meet on-site, within the park, where students will paint for three and a half hours during the morning light. Each session begins with an oil painting demonstration focused on mastering various methods of outdoor painting, including; capturing changing light, simplifying complex views, understanding color temperature when working with natural light and how to focus while working in a vibrant and moving city. Special attention will be paid to compositional design. Students may work on multi-week paintings or single day oil sketches. In the case of rain, classes will meet at The Metropolitan Museum of Art where drawing large interior views will be emphasized.

About the Instructor

Simon Levenson’s oil paintings are represented by Cavalier Fine Art Inc. in New York City; Greenwich, Connecticut; and Nantucket. He has been represented by Wally Findlay Gallery, and has shown at Grenning Gallery, Elaine Benson Gallery and Mast Cove Gallery. In 2011 his oil paintings were commissioned by the MTA Arts for Transit program and are permanently installed as large-scale murals for a New York City A train subway station. He has received a Puffin Foundation grant and Lower Manhattan Cultural Council grant. After early studies at the National Academy, Mr. Levenson received a BA from Sarah Lawrence College, where he focused on fine art, philosophy, writing, and film. His studies continued at the Art Students League with Gustav Rehberger. He is an avid admirer of the anatomy lectures of Robert Beverly Hale. He is the founder of Drawing New York, a New York City based drawing group with over 5,000 members.